12 Season Preview 2019-20 FourFourTwoBURnLEY
Afterfinishing7thin2017-18andqualifyingfor
the Europa League, Burnley suffered something
of a hangover in the first half of last season, not
helped by a summer transfer window which Sean
Dyche said left him two or three players light.
They took just 12 points from their first 19 games,
the last of which was a 5-1 Boxing Day humbling at
home to Everton. With the Clarets in the drop zone,
Dyche recalled club captain Tom Heaton and brought
in 19-year-old winger Dwight McNeil. Burnley went on
an eight-game unbeaten run and stayed up with three
games to spare, having drawn at Old Trafford, beaten
Spurs at home and held Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.WHICH OF THE TWO BURnLEYS
WILL SHOW UP THIS SEASOn?
PREMIER LEAGUE
2019-20
All told, Burnley took 28 points in 16 games, to hit
40, before losing their last three. At one stage, it was
top-five form. And they scored their way to safety:
only Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal netted
more, plus Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, who went
above them with a demob-happy 5-3 on the last day.
They conceded 27 in those 19 games, after shipping
41 in the first half of the season – more than they did
in the entirety of 2017-18. Burnley got back to what
they do best. Well-organised, disciplined and hard to
beat, they played some effective, mixed football. Chris
Wood and Ashley Barnes both ended the campaign in
double figures for goals, while McNeil emerged as one
of the top flight’s best teenagers, earning a place in
L’Equipe’s list of the 50 best youngsters in Europe.While the youth product was a huge bonus, Burnley
now have to hope their first ever technical director,
Mike Rigg, can help them play catch-up in the transfer
market. Although they have had some big successes,
keeping one of the tightest Premier League budgets
means the Clarets need to continue unearthing gems.
With prudence still the watchword, some supporters
continue to feel frustrated. Dyche has wondered aloud
if the club can loosen the purse strings to help his
players develop. “How much are we going to stretch
to make sure we’re improving?” he said. “We have
improved internally: a lot of the players have improved
in their performances, experience and knowhow. How
can we bolster that, add to that, improve that?”
These are almost existential questions. A fifth season
in six at this level suggests Burnley are established in
the Premier League, but Dyche would note that Stoke
and West Bromwich Albion might have said the same.
Historically, any side outside the ‘Big Six’ and top tier
ever-presents Everton are susceptible. Dyche will want
a more comfortable campaign this time; whether he
gets it may depend on which Burnley show up.LAST SEASON
PREMIER LEAGUE 15th
FA CUP Fourth Round
LEAGUE CUP Third Round
EUROPA LEAGUE Play-off
TOP SCORERS
Ashley Barnes, Chris Wood (13)